prosciutto

[ned]

I've hunted all over the gullet and not been able to find much information on how to make prosciutto. There must be at least some folks out there who have tried doing this.

Questions:

To brine or to lay in salt?

For how long?

What are the most common seasonings, if any?

Hang for how long?

At what temp?

What humidity?

How much do time temp and humidity matter considering that the process used to and must still happen in cellars which are cool but not so stable what with rain and drought and seasonal changes?

What about air circulation

What else is there to worry about?

Do you rub it with salt periodically?

How do you know when it's done?

Should it be wrapped?

Does it matter how big the ham is?

I expect the new Ruhlman book--come on Amazon, get that sucker to me--will put a lot of these questions to bed but that's only one, er, a few men's opinions.

[Kevin72]

La Cucina Di Lidia, by Lidia Bastianich, has a whole section on how to make prosciutto. I know the first answer is that you lay it in salt, no brining.

[winesonoma]

See this link. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=44524&st=0

[ned]

Thanks for the links.

[bobmac]

Speaking of which, I bought some prosciutto (supermarket) that's way too salty, more so than this brand usually is. Any way to tame it?

[iriee]

use it lightly shaved over a pasta or risotto. just don't make it the focal point or you'll be parched!